"DRUNKEN PINTO BEANS with Republic Tequila"

Drunken Pinto Bean

A savory ranch dish of the southwest cuisine. This  (TEX-MEX) bean dish is a favorite with any ole Gringo. We add some extra flavor using some black beans and kicking the recipe up with Republic Tequila with a mild touch of heat.   

2 tsp vegetable oil
4 strips bacon, chopped
1/2 onion, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 can pinto beans
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup water
2 Tbsp Republic Tequila
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve.

Add onion and pepper to saucepan. Cook for 5 minutes or until browned. Add pinto beans (drain a bit of the liquid off first, but not much), drained black beans, and water. Stir in bacon. Heat until boiling, reduce heat, and simmer for 20-30 minutes to bring flavors together.

(If beans are too soupy at this point, raise heat and boil some of the liquid off. If beans are too dry, simply add a few splashes of water and continue to simmer.)

Right before serving, add tequila and cilantro; stir well into the dish. This goes great with BBQ, Fajitas and any other Tex-Mex dish you serve.  

If you really desire to put a great deal more spicy bite into this dish, add two additional jalapeno peppers. Although, while you might enjoy the heat on your palate like a Texas summer heat wave, some just can not deal with it when their tongue feels as if it just visited Hadies, so we reccommend  using merely one seeded pepper will make this dish much more enjoyable for everyone.  Also, while we used can beans in the dish, you can soak your own and even substitute the Tequila for a good Shiner Boch dark beer, but then it wouldn't be Republic Drunken Pinto Beans either.    Adios Mi Amigos   

                                                Republic Tequila 

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Jalapeno CORNBREAD

Photo: Daniel  "Danny" Canales from Ricardo, Texas is the owner of Cosineros Del Campo Chuck wagon. "Cosineros" also spelled cocineros is the true word of Americanism as the word was created as Texas began a Republic, meaning cuisine or cook from Spanish to English. "Cosineros Del Campo," in translation is "The Cook of the Camp.  Photo taken by Roger Edison at King Ranch, Texas.

Jalapeno Cornbread

Ingredients:

• 2 cups yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/3 cups milk
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup canned corn, drained
• 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup grated onion
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh jalapeno pepper Mild heat, 1/2 cup unless you desire some extra heat, 

Directions: 

Mix dry ingredients together in lg bowl. 

In sm bowl, mix together eggs, milk,& butter; add to dry ingredients. 

Add remaining ingredients and combine thoroughly.

Fill lightly-greased 12 c muffin pans ½ full w/ batter (or cast iron Dutch Oven cooking outdors). 

 

Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 20-25 mins (30 minutes in dutch oven) or til top springs back when lightly pressed; remove from oven.

CAST IRON DUTCH OVEN: 

Lightly grease 4 quart size dutch oven.

Using about 10 coals under bottom and 15-18 coals on lid.  IF using firewood, set on coals with one shovel poured across lid.

Many ranch cooks today often use Jiffy Cornmeal mix rather than making from scratch. If using Jiffy, follow this recipe:

• 1 pkg. "JIFFY" Corn Muffin Mix
• 3 eggs, separated
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 4 jalapeno peppers-cored, seeded and diced
• 1 small red pepper, diced
• 4 Tbsp. margarine or butter, diced

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Preheat oven to 400°.  Grease 10" cast iron skillet or Dutch oven and preheat in oven.
Combine egg yolks, buttermilk and sour cream; mix well. Add muffin mix and diced peppers; mix until moist. Whip egg whites to stiff peak and fold them and butter pieces into batter. Pour mixture into heated skillet. Bake 25-30 minutes. 

Cast Iron cooking

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